“So, Darla,” my dear readers ask, “I do listen to other people. Why don’t people listen to me?”
Oh, I see you’ve noticed. That’s the first step, of course. Being able to see the eyes glazing over, the yawn behind the hand, the fidgeting…you might be surprised at how many people actually don’t notice that they are boring their conversation companion to tears.
So how to get your companion to listen to you?
Talk in colors.
You may have heard that artists are told to tell a story with their painting. So you need to paint a story with your words.
Let’s say, instead of “I went for a walk today and there were flowers…”, try “You should have seen all the shades of purple on Broadway today.”
Or, ” I am so exhausted, I just want to go take a nap…”, try, “I can just imagine what it would be like to bundle up in that red afghan my mother knitted for me and take a nap.”
Enticing, yes? And bound to elicit a colorful response.
Try it, and see if your bench companion isn’t hanging on your every yellow.
Until next time, then, you with the golden gift of gab.
SKATE ON!
Darla
(Surely you recognize this bench in Guell Park near Barcelona, Spain, designed by the master of color himself, Antoni Gaudi!)